carter



(Model.) 5 Sheets- Sheet 1.

C. H. CARTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No.' 309,691. Patented Deo. 23, 1884.

(Model.) 5 Sheets--Sheet 2.

O. H. CARTER.

` KNITTING lvmGHINBvl No. 309,691. 4 Patented Dee. 23, 1884.

lf. Fig. 2.

v4 PETERS FlwwLilhogmpher. washmgmn. n.2,

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. H. CARTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Model.)

No. 309,691. Patented Deo. 23, 1884.

(Model.) 5 shets-sneet l4.

C. H. CARTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 309,691. PatentedDeo. 23 1884.

(Model.)4

' 5 ShVeetS-Sheet 5 C. H. CARTER.

KNITTING MACHINE.

' Patented Dec. 23, 1884.

. r y y Unirse @raras Partnr Ormes.

CHARLES HENRY CARTER, OF COLBORNE, ASSIGN OR TO PATRICK GEORGE CLOSE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

KNlTTlNGuii/EACHINE.

SPECFICATIOE" forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,691, dated December 23, 188%.

Application filed January 151, 1898. (Model.)

fo @ZZ wiz/071@ it may concer/1,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES HENRY CAR- TER, of Colborne, in the county of Northumberland, in the Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same. Figure l is an elevation of my improved lmitting-machine. Fig. 2 is atop view. Fig. 3 is a view of the machine inverted. Fig. 4L isa sectional view,vertically, of the feed-guide and a portion ofthe needle and cam cylinders and bed of the machine. Fig. 5 is an elevation of part of the cam-cylinder, showing the spring-cams in a normal position. Fig. 6 is a like view showing a spring-cam retracted bythe entrance ofthe needles. Fig. 7 is a 2o plan of the ribbing-cam holder inverted,show ing the position of the cams when at rest. Fig. 8 is a like view of the same, showing a cam retracted by the needles when at work. Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section of Fig. 2 5 2 on the line x 00, showing the mechanism for registering the number of rows of stitches. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a view of the top of the needle-cylinder, ring on canrcylindenand gate therein opened. 3o Fig. 12 is an elevation of the bed of the machine and parts integrally cast therewith in one piece. Fig. 13 is a section online w w, Fig. 9. Fig. 14 is a view of a portion of interior of boxing from the rear, showing in ele vation the push-pawl and ratchet on shaft 0p erating the mechanism seen in Fig. 9 for recording the number of rows of' stitches. Fig. 15 is an elevation of a portion of the cam-cylinder, showing the recesses therein, the cams are being removed. Fig. 16 is a section on the line a e, Fig. 5. Fig. 17 is an end elevation of the eccentric and connecting-levers operating the needle-cylinder vertically. Fig. 18 is an elevation of the spring-catch or cam-cylinder for fastening the gate in the ring on top ot' said cylinder. Fig. 19 is a section of one foot of the yoke,showing its fastening-connection to the flange of cam-cylinder.

1 is the circular bed of the machine, and 8 5o a boxing integrally cast on the under side, to

carry a shaft, S, on which is keyed a driving cog-wheel, 2, which meshes with ccgs on the under side of flange 5 of cam-cylinder 4, which revolves around needle-cylinder 10 by operating handle 3.

6 is a dial-plate secured to casing 8', which is fastened to the top of bed 1 and to boxing 8 by screws 8, and over the face of' the dialplate moves a pointer, 7, 0n a shaft, A', having a worm-gear, C', in engagement with a 6o worm, 13, on a shaft, B, which has near the lower end a ratchetwheel, C, which is moved intermittently by a spring push-pawl, D, slid` ing in a bearing, 7, secured by screws 7 to boxing S, and projecting to be forced inward 6 5 by contact with cam 9 on Wheel 2, and reacted by coiled spring 9' at one end of tubular bearing 7 whereby the pointer fill be moved one degree of the dial-plate at each revolution of the cam cylinder and wheel 2, both having a 7o corresponding number of cogs to register the number of courses of stitches, so as to govern the making up of a stocking or other goods.

10 is the needle-cylinder, the blanks between the grooves bearing over bed l, and is 7 5 secured by lugs and bolts E to a lower cylinder, 11, for convenient separation. Both cylinders conjointly have a vertical movement onlyto make a longer or shorter stitch, and which movement is effected by a forked lever, 8o 12, fulcrumed at F to bed 1. The ends of the forks are slotted, and receive trunnions 13, fixed in lugs H, east on cylinder 11. The outer end of lever 12 is pivoted to one end of a vertical arm, 16, the other end having a ring to hang S5 on a disk, 15, eccentrically fixed on a shaft,

G, passing through a lug, A, cast on bed 1, andto the lug is secured a dial-plate, 18, over which moves a pointer, 17, keyed on shaft G, which is provided with a thumb-piece, let, so 9o that by turning the thumb-piece, or by moving the pointer, shaft G and eccentric 15 are rocked-thereby moving arm 1G endwise to tilt lever 12, whereby the needle-cylinder 10 is moved vertically and the rise and fall shown by the pointer and indicated by degrees on the dial-plate. The adjustment of the cylin der vertically causes the needles therein to make either a longer or shorter or a more open or a closer stitch, to widen and narrow roo the work while knitting by making a coarser or finer stitch, as may be desired.

is a radial shaft journaled in hangers on the under side of bed l, and is provided with a thumb-piece at the outer end, and a cam, 2l, at the inner end, to work in a slot near the end of a vertical lever, 22, which is centrally pivoted to the inside of cylinder ll. The up'- per end of the lever engages with a stop-lug, 23, on the under side of ribbing-dial 24, so that by turning the thumb-piece, the upper end of the lever 22 is brought into contact with lug 23, and thereby the ribbing-dial will be slightly rotated for the 'purpose of adjust ing the dial to bring the radial grooves therein to intervene the grooves in needle-cylinder l0, to allow of insertion and withdrawal of the needlesin the ribbing-dial for the employment of a greater or less number of needles to suit the enlargement and contraction ofthe work. This movement of the ribbing-dial is preferable to moving the needle-cylinder to intervene its grooves with those of the ribbing-dial, because a slight movement of the needle-cylinder cannot be effected so readily and gently by handle 3.

25 is a stop on the inside of cylinder 10, and 26 a lug on the under side of the ribbing-dial 24, to limit the reciprocation of the reverse movement of the ribbing-dial in knitting a ilat web, which is produced when the handle 3 is rocked to reciprocate eam-cylinder 4.

Figs. 5-and 6 show the cams in cam-cylinder 4, for operating the needles in cylinder ll0 to retain the stitch on the latch until the necdles come opposite to the feed, and thereby prevent dropping of the stitches. The cam! cylinder 4 is recessed or rabbeted to a suitable dcpth and distance from its upper edge to suit the butts and length of the needles, thereby forming an annular bearing, 4, for the needles. NVit-hin the recess is a fixed cam', 30, having pointed ends to deflect the butts of the needles to the cams, hereinafter dcscribed, and a three-sided notch in the lower edge of the middle to form a portion of the needle-heel path. A portion of the face of the cylinder4 is cut out flush with the annular recess, thus making a gap, 5, as shown in Fig. l5, and into said gap, and fixed flush therewith, is iitted a plate, 35, having at the middle a three-faced cam, 32, formed by cutting away and notching the plate. The summit of said cam 32 enters the thrcesided notch in cam 30, but leaves intermediately a path for the passage of the heels of the nee` dles. The notched-out portion of plate on both sides of the cani 32 thus forms two recesses having three sides, in which are respectively cams 3l 31, corresponding in shape to the forni ofthe recess, but smaller in area. These cams are respectively bolted to slides Q Q in grooves or channels P P', sunk in the gap portion of cylinder 4, as shown in Fig. 15, and the outer or lower end of said slides bears against a doubly-endedV spring, 33,- secured in a sunken channel, P, connecting the channels P P by a screw, 33, whereby cams 3l 31 will be forced upward by the spring against the lower edge of cam 30, as shown in Fig. 5. The cylinder at the upper or inner corners of the sunken gap 5 isdiagonally slotted flush with the sunken face to the depth shown by dotted lines in Fig. 15, and in the slots are respectively pivoted swing-cams 34 34 at the entrance and exit of the path of the heels of the needles between the cams. The object of these swing-cams is to prevent the needles from falling down the channel or track between the cams 35 and 3l before being struck by cam 30 and depress cam 3l, thus closing the aforesaid channel or track, the needles then passing between cams 30 and 3l 'on the same level as the annular bearing 4 until cam 32 strikes, which then raises the needles until the latch clears the loop, the needles being then in proper position for taking the yarn on top of cam 32. The needles are then drawn downwardly by the inclined sides of cams 30 3l and close the latch, at the same time drawing the needle through thev loop, after which they are pressed upward by the cam-face of cam-plate 35, thereby causing the loop to open the latch and keep it open while the bearing 4 of the cam-cylinder 4 is moving under the heels of the needles, when the operation of making the stitch is repeated by contact with cam 30, as heretofore described. rlhe continued operation of cylinder 4 in one direction will knit a circular web; but when the cylinder is reciprocated axially by the swinging movement of handle 3 the swing-cams 34 34 will be alternately moved at each change of motion and the cams 3l 3l operated alternately to knit a flat web.

The ribbing-cam holder 40 has a stem, 4l, and is connected to the ribbing-dial 24 by a headed bolt, 42, passing upwardly through the center ot' the ribbing-dial into a bore in stem 4l, and secured therein by a bindingscrew, 43. rlhe upper end of the stem passes through the middle of a yoke, 45, the end of the stem cut with a screw, 44, on which is a nut, 46, bearing on the top of the yoke, so that by turning the nut the ribbing-dial and camholder will be raised or lowered to make either a longer or shorter stitch, as may be desired. The stem of cani-holder 40 is provided with a longitudinal groove, in which is a key, secured to yoke 45, to allow stem 4l to slide vertically in the yoke for adjustment of the ribbing-dial by the nut to the desired height, and to cause the yoke to rotatethe cam-holder 40 and bolt 42, the ribbing-dial 24 remaining stationary. rlhe rotation of yoke 45 is effected by cam-cylinder 4, to which it is removably attached for disconnection when ribbing is not desired, by providing the feet et' the yoke with dowel-pins 49, fitting into holes in iiange 5 of cylinder 4, and held down by buttons 47, pivoted to the top of flange 5, and turning into notches in the feet of the yoke.

` 4S is a spring locking-bar attached to the yoke, to engage with notches in the edge of nut 46, to prevent the nut turning after the adjustment of the ribbing-dialto the required IOO height has been eltected to malte the desired l holder is rotated in the direction contrary to length of stitch, and said notches are nunr vbered to correspond with the degrees on dialplate 1S, whereby the needle-cylinder l() and ribbing-dial 24c can be relatively adjusted to cause the ribbing and dial needles to inake stitches of equa-l length. The ribbing-cam holder et() has on the under side a central fixed cani, 50, jirovided with recesses, in which are pivoted swing-Canis 59 59', lo close against earns l 5l', secured to slides in grooves. (Shown by full and dotted lines.) Cain 5S) prevents the needles entering between eains 5() and when the cani-holder is rotating in the direction ofthe arrows, and cani 59' prevents the needles entering between cams .31 and when the cam-holder is rotating in the reverse direction.

52 52 are springs, one end secured to the eanrholder and the other end bearing against an uptnrned end ot the slides to which the cams 5l 5l are secured, so that alter the earns 5l 5l. have been l'oreed inward by the needles they are retracted by the outward tension of the springs.

is a fixed cani haring a central notch coinciding with the inner face et' canis .3 1 5l.

51 is a cain iixed to a slide, 5S, in a groove in the cani-holder, and which slide connected to the end ol" arod, 57, passingthrough a radial slot in the cardholder Vand through a hole in lever 55, pivoted to the top ot' the cani-holder. The upper end ot' the rod is screw-threaded and provided with a thumbnut, 5U, so that by moving the lever, cani 54c may be either set l'orward or retracted, as desired, and .fixed by screwing down the nut. By the inward adjustment ol" cani 5t the nee dleheel path will be set back, so that the needles will not work with those in cylinder 'l0 when knitting either a plain flat or a tubular web, and when cani 5t is set forward the needles in ribbingldial 2i will work with the needles in cylinder l() to inalie either a ribbed ilat or a tubular web.

When cani-holder 40 is rotated in the direetion shown by the arrows, the ribbing-dial remains stationary, and the needles therein, by the rotation el' the cani-holder, close cani 59 against cani 5l to preventthe needles pas'- ing between Canis 5l) and 5l. Ca in 5l, by contact with the needles, will then be retracted to the position shown in Fig. S, to open the passage between earns 5l, 53, and 5t. Canis 5l and .34: then force the needles outward, thereby causing the loop thereon to open the latch ot' the needles and take the stitch from the needles in cylinder l() in the ordinary manner. After passing the notch in cani the needles are receded by passing between cains 54E and 51/7 thereby causing the loop on the needles to close the latch after taking the stitch from the needles in cylinder l() and complete the stitch as in other 1nachines. rEhe needles then reinain stationary until again acted on by contact oi" cani 5l. The cams have a .reverse operation when the calnthat indicated by the arrows, to allow of a reciprocating movement ci cylinder 4 to nialte a flat ribbed web. A welt on the top on a stock or at the coinineneeinent of other goods is made by adjusting cani by lever 55 to set back the needle-heel path in cani-holder Ltd, whereby the needles in ribbing-dial 24 will be kept back out oi" work with the cylindernecdles. Two rows ot` stitches are then knit by the cylinder-needles by two revolutions of earn-cylinder 4, and alter ward cain .Mis moved to its l'ornier position to again bring forward the retracted needle path in cani-holder 40, whereby the needles in ribbing-dial 241 will take up the two rows ol stitches previously made by the cylinder-needles and eoinbinedly inalte a welt on the top.

(50 is the feed-guide, secured to cani cylinder i by screw Gl. The top rises higher than he necdles,and is bent downwardly S-shaped.

o5 is a diagonal slot frein the side of the guide to a longitudinal slot, 64, in the upper bend, and 6T a longitudinal slot in the lower curve. rlhe yarn 63 is entered through the diagonal slot, feeds through the upper slot, and is taken by the needles from the lower slot. The height of the guide keeps the yarn out of contact with the needles, and the two longitudinal slots (iet and 67 prevent escape ol" the yarn when cylinder Lt is reeiprocated.

70 is a gate i'orining a portion of a dat ring, 7l, secured to the top of cani-cylinder 4. One end ol" the gate is pivoted to the top of can cylinder Li, and the gate, when open, gives access to the needles in cylinder l0 and allows thein to be transferred to ribbing-dial 2t without removing the stitch from the needles. rlhe gate portion ct the ring is slotted tlatwise from both ends, and the ends of the opening in the ring slotted to correspond therewith. In the slots either ot' the ring or the gate areinserted flat steel plates, T2 72', projecting sufficiently to forni tongues, which, when the gate is closed, enter the opposite slot ol" the gate or ring, the tongues thus breaking joint with the joints at both ends ofthe gate when closed. rlhe plates or tongues on the inside i'ace contorni to the circle of the ring, and present a smooth surt'ace flush with the inside of the ring. The plates protect the joints of the gate at both ends .VroniL wear by friction ot' the needles, and unless so protected 'the needles, by pounding' in the joints, would inalie a t/ -neck therein and cause the needles to work iinperfectly.

73 is a llat spring, one end securedl to cylinder et, the other end free and projecting over a recess sunk in the outside i'ace of the cylinder, innnediately below that end of the gate which is pivoted to the top of the cylinder. The gate is provided with a downward-projecting pin, 75, which, when the gate is closed, forces the free end ot' the spring into the recess.

74 is a springcatchpivoted to cylinder 4, to engage with the other end of the gate when closed, and be i'orced back by the closing ot' IIO IZO

and casing 8', having dial-plate G, ofthe pushpawl D, ratchet-wheel C, shaft B, gear C', and worm B' and shaft A', provided with pointer 7, whereby the number of rotations of the canicylinder, and consequently courses of stitches, are registered, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with bed 1, needle-cylinder 10 11, and ribbing-dial 24, having stop 23, ofr shaft 20, having earn 21, and vertical lever 22, having a cani-slot to rota-tively adjust the ribbing-dial so that the grooves therein will intervene the grooves in the needlecylinder, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with `yoke 45, of the ribbing-dial 24, bolt 42, screw 43, ribbing-cam holder 40, having tubular stem 41, provided with screw-thread 44, notched nut 46, and locking-bar 48, whereby the ribbing-dial may be raised and lowered to niake a longer or shorter stitch, snbstantiallyas set forth.

4. The combination, with the bed A, having 'dial-plate 18 and cylinder 10 11, lever 12, arm

16, and shaft G, provided with a pointer, 17, of the ribbing-dial 24, bolt 42, cani-holder 40, having stem 41, screw-nut 46, and yoke 45, whereby a rela-tive adjustment ofthe nut and pointer will equalize the length of stitch of the ribbing and cylinder needles to produce uniformly-sized stitches when enlarging and contracting ribbed work, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the ribbing-cam. holder 40, of cam 50, swing-cams 59 59', sliding cams 51 51', springs 52 52', cani 53 and adjustable cani 54, whereby the said cams operate the ribbing-needles to knit a ilat ribbed web by 'a reciprocating rotary movement of the ribbing-cam holder and cam-cylinder, as set forth.

6. The combination, with the cylinder-needles and their cylinder and cam-cylinder 4, having grooves l? P', of the fixed cams 30, sliding cams 31 31', spring 38, and swing-cams 34 34', to prevent the needles dropping the stitch, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with ribbing-cam holder 40, having grooves therein, ot' the iiXed cams 50 53, swing-cams 59 59', sliding cams 51 51', springs 52 52'. adjustable cam 54, and nut 56, to throw the ribbing-needles in and ont of work with the cylinder-needles when making a welt top, as set forth.

8. In combinalion with cam-cylinder 4, the feed-guide 60, S-shaped at top, and having diagonal slot 65 at the side and longitudinal slots 64 and G7 throughthe upper bend and lower curve, respectively,to prevent escape of the yarn while knitting.

9. The combination, with cylinder 4, having a flat ring, 71, containing a gate, 70, provided with pin 75, the spring 7-3, and springcatch 74, operating as set forth, whereby the gate may be unlocked and opened and closed and locked by one hand, as set forth.

CHARLES HENRY CARTER.

Witnesses:

HENRY Gnrs'r, Jol-IN Gnis'r. 

